Mail delivery and collection system.



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MAILDELIVERY AND. COLLECTION SYSTEM. v

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No. 705,982. Patented July 29, 1902.-

F. s. voGuE. MAIL DELIVERY AND COLLECTION SYSTEM. l

(Application med Sept. 6, 1901.)

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Patented July 29, |902.

l F. s. voaua. MAIL DELIVERY AND COLLECTION SYSTEM.

(Application med sept. e, 19m.)

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UNITEDA STATES;

PATENT OFFICE. I

FRANKLIN S. VOGUE, OF KEOKUK, IOWA.

MAIL DELIVERY AND COLLECTION SYSTEM'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,982, dated July 29, 1902.

Application filed September 6, 1901. Serial, No. 74,570. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN S. VOGUE, a citizen of the United States, residingat 927 Morgan street, Keokuk,^in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail Delivery and Collection Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mail delivery and collection systems; and its object is to provide novel and effective means for delivering mail from a central station or post-office to any desired number of substations and also for collecting mail from such substations.

The improved system is especially adapted for delivering mail to and collecting from rural stations; and the primary purpose is to eftectsuch delivery and collection by means of a traveling car in connection with automatic mechanism carried by the car and located at the several substations.

The invention consists of a particularlyconstructed electrically-propelled car traveling upon an elevated track, means carried on the car for operating the substation devices, automatic controlling and brake mechanism for the car, a receiving chute and box at each substation,-a collection-box at each substation and means for elevating and lowering said box, and in various details and combinations of elements for eecting the purpose in view. The car is equipped with an endless carrier provided with movable partitions, by means of which the mail for the several substations after being assorted at the main olce, and 'arranged in packages' ready for its automatic discharge upon the arrival of the car at the respective stations is separated, supported, and discharged,thus avoiding the necessity for the services of an attendant on the car.

The construction of the mechanism employed will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and the characteristic and novel features thereof will be'particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the car employed and its contained mechanism. Fig. 2 is a transverse section ot' the track upon which the car travels, one of the supporting-poles thereof and the mail-receiving chute being shown in elevation and the car collecting-box arranged on the pole and the elevating-box being in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the track and delivery-chute. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, of the inner side of one member of the track upon which the car travels. Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views of the upper end of the mail-receiving chuteshowing thedoor of the chute in open and closed positions', respectively. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the retracting-spring for the chute-door. Fig. S is a vertical section of the stationary collecting-box, which receives the contents of the movable collecting-box and delivers the same to the car. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line a; .fr of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the substation collection-box, which is adapted to be raised and lowered to discharge its contents into the car mail-box shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section 0n the line a' ,a of Fig. 10.

The reference-numeral 1 designates a car adapted to be suspended, by means of wheels 2, arranged in pairs on top of the car, from a track comprising oppositely-disposed sections 3 and l. (See Figs. 4 and 5.) The track 3 is held and supported by brackets 5, projecting horizontally from poles 5, braced by an arm 8 and a rigidly-depending arm 9, se-

cured to the end of the arm 8 and to the outer end of the bracket and rib on the track. The track is further strengthened by means ot' a continuous truss-rod extending longitudinally through loops or eyes 7, projecting upwardly from the track, as indicated in the drawings.

lO designates a chute of hopper form secured to one of the poles 5 and communicating at its lower end with a stationary maildelivery box 16, also secured to the pole. y The upper enlarged end 12 of the chute is projected laterally to bring it under the bottom of the car, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. L

To one side of the pole 5 is secured a pair of guides 13, which extend upward parallel to said pole for a portion of their length and are then inclined laterally and then projected vertically, their upper ends being connected by a cross-bar lll. Upon these guides is IOO .- a Y VY,

slidably supported, by means of keepers 15, a collection-box 11, adapted to be raised and lowered by means of a rope 17, the ends of which are secured, respectively, to the top and bottom of the box. The rope 17 passes over a grooved pulley 18, mounted on the cross-bar 14.

Secured to the pole 5 in position to discharge into the car is a stationary collection-box 19, provided with a hinged cover 20, having a projecting lip 21, adapted to be engaged by the projecting arms 22 of bell-crank levers 23,.fulcrumed on the inner sides of the movable box 11, Figs. 12 and 13, on pivots 24.

The box 11 is provided with a hinged door 25, connected, by means of links 26, to a plate 27, pivotally secured at its upper end to the back of the box and at its lower end to a slide 28.

The arms 29 of the bell-crank levers 23 are provided with lugs 30, which rest behind the plate 27 and raise the latter to the position shown in Fig. 12, when the lever 23 is tilted by contact with the lip 21 of the cover 20, thev plate 27 and incline 28 serving to direct the contents of the box 11 into the box 19. When the ends 22 of the bell-crank levers 23 strike the lip 21, the door 25 of the box 11 is opened "and the parts 23, 27, and 28 assume the position shown in Fig. 12, causing the mail-matter within the box 11 to slide into the box 19.

Within the box 19 is a diagonally-arranged plate 31, pivotally supported at its lower end and connected, by means of parallel links 32, with a hinged door 33, through which the mail is dumped into the car. Behind the plate 31 is a longitudinally-movable rod 34, supported by toggle-levers 35 between the front wall of the box and the plate 31. One end of the rod 34 projects through the side of the box, and to the opposite end ot said rod is attached at right angles an arm 36, provided with a contact-lip 37. The longitudinal movement of the rod 34, caused by the contact therewith of a projection from thev car, expands the toggles 35 and swings the plate 31 upon its pivots and opens the door through the medium of the links 32, a spring 38 assisting the movement of the plate 31.

The door 33 is closed after the mail is dumped into the car by means of the arm 36, which is operated upon by a projection from the car.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, 39 designates the door of the chute 10, said door loeing hinged within the enlarged upper end 12 of the chute and connected, by means of a link 40, to the short arm of a bell-crank lever 41, fulcrumed Within the hopper. The long arm of the lever 41 projects beyond the mouth of the chute and rests in contact with a pin 42, projecting from a sliding cover 43, adapted to travel in guides 44. The sliding cover carries a pivoted bell-crank lever 45, the short arm of which projects upward in position to be struck by the car, as shown in Fig. 7, while the long arm thereof travels along the guide 44, the latter having a downwardly-curved end 46 to permit the tilting of the lever 45, as illustrated in Fig. 8. The cover 43 is connected, by means of a cord 47, to a spring-roller 48. When the upwardlyprojecting arm of the lever 45 is struck by the car, the sliding cover is moved forward, the cord 47 unwinding from the roller 48. The pin42 throws the lever 41 forward, and when the lever 45 reaches the curved end 46 of the guide said lever 45 tilts to release itself from the car, and the spring-roller then retracts the cover to the position shown in Fig. 7, opening the door 39 and dumping the mail resting thereon down through the chute into the receiving-box 11.

Referring to Fig. 6, the numeral 49 designates a rod arranged within a recess in one side of the track and having a depending arm 50, against which the car is adapted to strike.

A coil-spring 51 surrounds the rod 49 and serves as a cushion to avoid jar when the car strikes the arm 50. In front of the contactarm 50 a series of longitudinally-disposed teeth 52 are provided on the inner side of the track-section.

Referring now to Fig. 1, 55 designates the car, within which are supported in suitable bearings parallel shafts 56 and 57, and upon said shafts are mounted sprocket-wheels 58.

' An endless belt 59 passes around the sprocketwheels, said'belt comprising links connected by transverse bars covered with a suitable fabric. Upon the belt 59 are secured a series of pairs of spring-fingers 60, adapted to support a plurality of removable partitions 61, which divide the surface of the belt into a number of separate compartments to contain mail-matter. The size and capacity of the several compartments can be regulated by adjusting the partitions upon the belt.

' The starting, stopping, and speed of the car are controlled automatically, and hence it is not necessary for the car to beacoompanied by an attendant.

l While the invention is not restricted to any particular mechanism for controlling the travel of the car, I have illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 effective mechanism for the purpose.

The wheels 2, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are mounted upon suitable frames or trucks 62 and 63, each of which is equipped with a trolley 64. The truck 63 carries a gear-Wheel 65, which meshes with one member of a clutch 66, the other member of the clutch being carried by a vertical shaft 67, supported within the car and having gears 68 and 69 thereon for driving the trains of gearing 70 and 71.

The endless belt 59 is revolved by a belt 72, driven Vby the gearing 70, and said train of gearing also operates a screw 73, which maintains the vertical direction and relation of the partitions by engagement with their ends, and thus keeping them in proper position and relation during the progress of the carrier.

The door 74 is moved to open and "close the IOO IIO

'opening in the bottom of the car by means of a pitman 7 5, pivotally connected to the gearing 70 and its inner end being connected to a link 7 6, pivotally connected to the door 74, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

I claimm 4 l. In a mail deliveryand collection system, the combination of an elevated car having an opening in its bottom, a closure arranged to swing across the opening, a pitman to swing the closure, a gearing to reciprocate the pitman, and a chute communicating with the said opening in the car, substantially as described. y

2. In a mail delivery and collection system, the combination of an elevated car provided with an opening in its bottom, a closure arranged to swing across the opening, means to swing the closure, a chute communicating with the said opening in the car, a door adjacent to the top of the chute, and mechanism connected to the door and having an element extending in the path of the car Whereby the door is opened.

3. In a mail delivery and collection system, the combination Wit-h an. electricallypropelled elevated car, of a stationary collectionbox supported in an elevated position to discharge its contents into the car, a collectionbox adapted to be raised, a hinged cover for the stationary box formed with a projection, and a device carried by the movable box adapted to strike said projection and open both boxes simultaneously. l y

4.- In a mail delivery and collection system, an electrically-propelled elevated car having a discharge-opening in its bottom, mechanism therein for supporting and discharging mail, comprising an endless carrier, removable partitions in the carrier, a swinging door to open and close the opening in the car, 'a chute with which the opening communicates, a door to close the chute, and means to automatically open and close the door.

5. In a mail delivery and-collection system, an electrically-propelled elevated car, and mechanism therein for supporting and discharging mail comprising an endless 'carrier provided with removable partitions in combination with a receiving-chute, and means for automatically opening and closing said chute.

6. In a mail delivery and collection system, the combination with an electrically propelled elevated car, of an endless carrier therein for supporting mail-matter removable partitions on said carrier, a hinged door, mechanism for opening and closing said door, a receiving-chute, and means for automatically opening and closing said chute.

7. In a mail delivery and collection system, the combination with an electrically propelled elevated car, of an endless carrier supported therein, removable partitions on said carrier for separating and supporting mailmatter, gearing for revolving said carrier, a hinged door for the car, and mechanism conL nectedwith said gearing for opening and closing said door.

8. In a mail delivery and collection system,

Y the combination with an electrically-propelled elevated car, of an endless carrier supported therein, comprising parallel chains, cross-bars connecting said chains, a covering for said cross-bars and a plurality of pairs of vfingers projecting from said chains; remov-` Vin presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN S. VOGUE.

Witnessesz W. H. VANTENT, WM. TiMBERNAN. 

